Camilo Bure(s) Whitecaps, who ‘want players committed to the club’

Gary Kingston, Vancouver Sun01.09.2014

Vancouver Whitecaps striker Camilo Sanvezzo (left) in training with Queretaro FC, the Mexican League team that he wants to join. Major League Soccer's Whitecaps maintain that he is under contract to them.

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VANCOUVER — Last summer, Vancouver Whitecaps president Bob Lenarduzzi mused about how his star striker Camilo had a little Pavel Bure in him.

The Brazilian dynamo could do spectacular things, just like the Russian Rocket. He had the ability to lift fans out of their seats. He was mesmerizing.

The hockey player and the soccer player had also both become crowd favourites despite arriving in Vancouver with limited English skills.

Unfortunately for Lenarduzzi and the Caps, the parallels don’t end there.

Bure, of course, left Vancouver after eight seasons following a messy, ugly dispute with Canucks management. And now Camilo appears headed for a similar departure after three seasons.

And quite frankly, it should be good riddance.

Querétaro, the Mexican club threatening to sign him despite the fact the Caps have the 25-year-old, under contract for 2014 and 2015, posted pictures Wednesday of Camilo in training with other players.

Blame his agent, if you like. That’s an easy one since he’s not talking.

Blame Caps management, if you want, for failing to act swiftly in beginning the process of rewarding Camilo, who earned $250,000 in 2013, for a terrific campaign in which he led the MLS in goals with 22.

But there is also little doubt that the electrifying striker, so dynamic and talented on the field, is far from an innocent bystander in this. In fact, he seems to be a disingenuous, selfish, greenback-chasing mercenary.

Remember this quote from his Caps’ player of the year news conference in late October:

“I love the people and I love the support and I want to stay here for a long time,” said Camilo, whose wife Jessica was expecting their first child in the new year. “We know the city, we know the people here and we feel at home here. We are happy here.”

The only things he appears to truly love are his wife, scoring goals and putting as many real (R$) in his bank account as possible.

New Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson, placed in a terrible position, especially given his supposedly good relationship with Camilo, finally weighed in on Wednesday. He said he’s had three or four telephone conversations with the player in the last couple of weeks.

“I’ve let him know what our stance is on the situation. The behaviour that he’s shown, the unprofessionalism that he’s shown is not acceptable.”

As Lenarduzzi suggested earlier this week, Robinson thinks Camilo’s Brazil-based agent, Lucas Teixiera, is at least partially responsible for leading the player astray.

“If I was in Camilo’s position, I would know I have a contract with the Whitecaps. So, the only reason and the only way it can be is that he’s been given misinformation ... and being led down a path he knows he shouldn’t go.”

Yet, he’s samba-ed his way right down that path. ‘To hell with Vancouver. To hell with the Caps. If Querétaro thinks I’m worth more, Mexico here I come.’

With pre-season training set to begin in three weeks, Robinson said there is some urgency in getting the matter settled.

That almost certainly means the Caps and Querétaro coming to an agreement on a transfer fee.

Nobody wants a messy legal battle, including MLS, which certainly would be fearful that FIFA’s Dispute Resolution Chamber or the Court of Arbitration for Sport might rule against the collectively bargained club option provisions in league contracts.

Letting it appear Camilo has won his way out of Vancouver by simply claiming he’s a free agent is unpalatable as well. That’s a dicey impression to leave with other players who may want to cash in as well after a good season. But Camilo has almost certainly burned too many bridges now, with fans and management, to be welcomed back with open arms.

“I want players committed to the club,” said Robinson on a conference call during a stop on his way to the MLS SuperDraft player combine. “Vancouver is a fantastic organization. It’s got a history about the club and any time anybody puts that in jeopardy, you have to ask questions.”

“Camilo’s a good player and I want as many good players at the club as I can, but I do not condone that behaviour. I’m going to make sure I have players here are going to live and die for the club.”

Robinson said he was surprised and disappointed by Camilo trying to force his way out of Vancouver. “I’ve been in the game a long time and I’ve never seen that before. That’s not acceptable in football in any country in the world.”

In other Caps player news, Robinson said contract talks with free agent centre back Jay DeMerit have been “flowing very nicely” and that he expects something to be done officially within a week or so to ensure the captain is back for next season.

He also said he spoke Wednesday with influential and outspoken midfielder Nigel Reo-Coker who was also looking for a raise.

“Nigel’s in good spirits. I told Nigel my plans for him. I expect him to be back with a smile on his face. I’m sure he’ll have a few comments here and there like he usually does.”

The Caps also announced Wednesday that Gordon Forrest, a 36-year-old Scot who guided the club’s U18 residency program for the past 14 months, will join Robinson’s staff as an assistant coach and that goalkeeper coach Marius Rovde has been retained.

The contracts of assistant Paul Ritchie, who served alongside Robinson under Martin Rennie the last two seasons, and strength and conditioning coach Mike Young are not being renewed.

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Camilo Bure(s) Whitecaps, who ‘want players committed to the club’

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